Time's Children
by Hard-headed-woman
Summary: Rose and the Doctor on their way to another adventure, when suddenly 3 kids appear on the Tardis. Who are they? And why are they so familiar to the Time Lord? Set during S1 after B7
1. Chapter 1

Nothing could shake the Doctor.

He knew the be all and end all of the universe. He could press a flashing button on the control panel of the Tardis and know exactly when and where he was going. He would sweep young companions off their feet, taking them to the farthest reaches of the galaxies, and return them home with not a minute past.

He knew everything.

"Doctor! What's happening?"

Looking up from the monitor that was showing a vortex no-where near where they were supposed to be, the Doctor gave his newest and somewhat risqué companion, Rose Tyler, an ever so slight frown.

"I don't know," he shouted out, holding on for dear life as the ship gave another lurch. "There seems to be a signal overriding the system. Whatever it is, it's drawing us to it."

Picking herself up from the pile of boxes she had landed in, Rose glared at the man in front of her. "Well, can't you stop it?"

"If I could, don't you think I would have by now?"

Glaring up at the Doctor, red lips opened wide in an attempt to voice exactly what she thought about him not doing anything, when the Tardis came to a rather abrupt halt. Glancing around wearily, the blonde Brit pulled herself out of the mess the commotion had caused. Glad to see that she was not the only one that had fallen over, Rose slowly walked around the main room, hoping that nothing was going to jump out and suddenly attack her.

"Are you ok, Doctor?"

Frowning up at the box of junk that had decided to land on top of him, the Doctor huffed. "Oh, I am absolutely spiffing. I am."

Rolling her eyes in a sort of 'if only murder was legal' kind of way, Rose made her way over to the awkwardly sitting man, and began to remove all of the rubbish that buried him. "You know," she panted, as a rather heavy pipe finally decided to move. "You really should clean up this place. I'm sure Mum wouldn't mind giving ya a hand."

"What? And come back to find the Tardis as just a shell? No thank you."

"She wouldn't be that bad."

"Oh yes she would!"

Holding out a hand to help the poor Time Lord up, Rose almost let go, when a small sneeze erupted from behind her. Wiping around, Rose felt the Doctor draw his sonic screwdriver out of his pocket and aim it at the corner hidden from their view.

"Who's there?" the dark eyed man shouted, not at all impressed by someone he did not know, being on board. "Show yourself!"

After travelling with the Time Lord to far off galaxies, seeing races and worlds that no-one back on Earth could ever dream of, Rose had thought that she was prepared for almost anything to come out from behind the wall.

But she was wrong.

"What the hell? They're just-"

"Rose, stay back."

Putting himself in between a threat and his companion was almost second nature to the dark eyed man. But this was a threat he was not sure how to engage with.

"We're so sorry," scared, emerald green eyed cried out. "We didn't mean to land on your ship, but Mary slipped into the vortex and we tried to hold on, but we got sucked in too."

Little fingers clutched on tightly to a teddy bear that looked like it had seen better days. Slightly older hands wrapped their way around the smallest one's shoulders, whilst the eldest stood behind them, ready to throw the other two aside if the strangers proved to be hostile. The Doctor watched as the eldest tried to comfort the other two, and could not help but feel as though there was something familiar about them.

"Doctor?"

Turning to face his companion, and what he was also coming to see as a very close friend, the Doctor rose an eyebrow in questioning.

"They're children. Human children."


	2. Chapter 2

Rose Tyler liked to believe herself to be a well thought out, independent woman, that was more than capable of taking care of any situation life threw her way.

"Tea anyone?"

Rolling his eyes at the "Jackie Tyler Approach"; or "JATA" as he liked to call it, his young friend decided to take, the Doctor turned his attention back to the three wayward children that had somehow made it aboard his ship. Having got over the shock that had taken hold of him when they first appeared, the Time Lord was able to see them a little more clearly.

The eldest and only male, was around ten, twelve tops. Dark, messy locks brushed at the top of his eyebrows, whilst his deep brown eyes lit with knowledge and mischief. The second eldest looked not much younger than what appeared to be her brother. The looks and build were very similar, except for the hair. Hers was a darker shade, almost black, and instead of being somewhat messy, it fell down to her waist in a mass of bangs and curls. The youngest looked to be about five, possibly six, and by the way that the other two were holding her in between them, she was also closely related. Long light brown hair cascaded their way down her shoulders, framing the oval face that all three had. But it was her eyes, her beautiful emerald eyes that spoke time and knowledge beyond her years; that set her apart from the other two.

"There you go."

Placing four mugs of tea and a cup of milk down on the table, Rose sat beside the Doctor with enough force to drag him out of his musings. "So, where are you lot from? We've never had someone pop on board like you three did."

Eyeing the dark haired man before him for another second, the boy turned to the Blonde and frowned. "We're not quite sure, to tell you the truth. Dad and Papa were trying to stop these creatures from entering the room when this hole opened up right behind us and sucked Mary in. Me and Jaz tried to hold on, but we got sucked in too. Next thing we know, the hole reopened and we landed on your floor, with you lot staring at us."

Raising an eyebrow at the explanation, Rose opened her mouth to ask if there was anything else they could remember, when the Doctor held up his hand to silence her. "And what are your name's?"

"Mine's James, that's Anna, and lil' Mary."

"I'm sorry," Jasmine spoke for the first time since they had entered the kitchen. "But who are you?"

Glaring at the man for shushing her, Rose turned back to the children that she was becoming extremely interested in, and smiled in what she hoped was a warm and friendly manner. "Well," she huffed, battering the Doctor's hand away when she tried to quieten her again. "My name's Rose Tyler, and that's the Doctor."

"But-"

"No."

"Sorry," Rose asked, a bit confused. "But what?"

"Well-"

"We can't tell you."

Frowning at her brother for even thinking of telling them, Anna pushed the cup of milk towards her sister, before taking a mug for herself. Eyeing the brunette with every bit of suspicion he had, the Doctor growled. "Why not?"

Not to be out done, Anna glared right back. "Because to do so, would result in a time lapse conundrum that I assure you, Doctor, you do not want to mess with."

Leaning over the table, the Time Lord took one hard look at the young girl, forcing her to look away. "Try me."

"Doctor." Rose warned, not at all happy to see the children looking away in somewhat fear and hesitation.

Satisfied that he had the children aware of his presence, the Doctor stood up and clapped his hands; a big smile adorning his face. "Right, I'm sure that you three are tired and that your parents are worried sick. So, where do we drop you off?"

Silently communicating with Anna over the top of Mary's head, James nodded in agreement before glancing back at the brown eyed man. "Our parents are probably out looking for us, so the best place for us to be is with you."

"But how will they find you if you're with us?" Rose quired. "It's not like they can track you down when you're in the Tar-"

"Hum-hum" the Doctor coughed, watching the Blonde as the words died in her mouth.

Smiling faintly at the pair, James stood and motioned for the other two to do so. "Like I said, they'll find us."


	3. Chapter 3

After sorting out sleeping arrangements and getting the children settled down, Rose returned to the control room and frowned.

"Doctor?"

Sitting up a little too quickly, the Doctor banged his head on the panel he was under, and cursed. Growling at the infernal gadget, brown eyes swivelled around to the Blonde and snarled. "What?"

Crossing her arms, Rose raised an eyebrow at the man. "Well for starters, you can get rid of the attitude."

Bowing his head in remorse, the Doctor sighed. "You're right. I'm sorry."

Knowing that something was wrong with her friend, Rose slowly made her way across the room and sat down; feet dangling into the gap the Doctor was standing in. "Do you wanna talk about it?"

Fiddling around with the reactor that he had being trying to fix before the Brit came in, brown eyes kept to the floor and shuffled awkwardly. "There's nothing to really talk about."

"Yes, there is." Lifting the man's oddly shaped head, so that they were face to face, Rose smiled softly. "Ever since those kids crash landed in on us, you've been going from one end of the emotional spectrum to the other; well more so than usual, and it's just not like you. Since when have you not had soft spot for kids?"

Ripping his head out of her grasp, the Doctor pulled himself out of the hole, and shuffled over to the monitor. "It's not that-"

"Then what is it?"

Lifting herself up, Rose went to give the Doctor a hug, but was shaken off. Frustrated, the Blonde threw her hands up in the air and turned sneered. "Fine! Don't bloody talk to me. Here I am, busting my arse to understand just what is that's making you so upset, and you just toss me aside-"

"They shouldn't exist!"

Silence rang through the room as the two tried to come to grips with what the Doctor had just blurted out.

"But why-"

"Shouldn't they?" Shaking his head at the question, the Doctor turned back to the panels, and started pressing random buttons. "When we were in the kitchen, the youngest one let off a pheromone that I haven't encountered in a very long time. It was only when she did that, that I noticed the other two reeked of the stuff themselves."

Lowering herself into the nearest seat, Rose stared up at the Doctor, baffled. "But why would that mean anything? Maybe whatever they are, just, went into hiding or something. "

"Impossible."

"Why?"

Halting, the Doctor turned around and faced his companion head on. "Because I killed them."

The world in Rose's mind, tilted on its axis. Her Doctor, her wonderful Doctor, killed an entire race, and now he was faced with three survivors. Only one thought came to her mind...

"You can't kill them. I won't let you!"

"Rose-"

"No!" Standing up, Rose drew herself to her full height, and glared at the man that she had come to trust more than anyone else in her life. "You listen to me, you know-it-all Time Lord. I will not stand by and let you kill three innocent children-"

"Rose."

" –because you had some vendetta against their race. That is not the way things work-"

"Rose!"

"-around here. Not while I'm on board-"

"ROSE!"

"WHAT?"

"I don't plan on killing them."

Gapping like a fish, Rose sat back down, a bright red stain covering her face. "Oh. So- um- what do you plan on doing with them?"

Smiling warmly at the girl he was coming to love like a sister, the Doctor turned back to the panel and pressed the final button to get them moving. "I plan on returning them to their parents."

Dawn broke over the sleepy London that the Doctor had landed them in, and with it, so too did the Time Lord. Yawning in a rather loud fashion, the man rose his arms up in a stretch and went to roll over, but was stopped. Frowning, brown orbs slowly opened and looked down, hoping that the lump was just his sheets mashed up like usual.

"AHHH!"

Shuffling backwards across the mattress and falling right off the other side, the Doctor missed Rose racing into his room, or the two eldest children following.

"Doctor what-"

"What is that thing doing in my bed?"

Peeking over the side in a manner that was normally considered cute, Mary tilted her head. "Why are you on the floor? It doesn't look very comfy."

Glaring up at the green eyed girl, the Doctor waited until Anna had retrieved her sister, before standing.

"She just had a nightmare, that's all," Anna explained, patting the other's hair as she did so. "Dad and Papa would let her sleep in with them when she has one, and being away from them, it isn't exactly surprising that she had one."

"Yes, well," the Doctor sputtered, looking quite ruffled. "Just make sure that it doesn't happen again, right?"

Rolling her eyes at the man, Anna strode out of the room holding her little sister close to her chest.

"I guess Papa was right," James hissed just loud enough for them to here.

Folding her arms across her chest, Rose lent against the door. "Was that really necessary?"

"What?" the Doctor huffed, pulling his fluffy red bathrobe around his shoulders. "Yes. Of course it was necessary. That-that, Thing! Snuck into my bed!"

"Because She was scared and needed reassurance," Rose pleaded, confused as to how the Doctor could not sympathise. "She was pulled away from her parents and home, and if it wasn't for the fact that her brother and sister was here with her, then she would be all alone."

Sliding on his slippers, the Doctor puffed loudly. "They shouldn't even be alive!"

"That is no reason to be so harsh!" Breathing deeply, Rose flicked some hair out of her face. "They are scared stiffless and you are not helping. Just- give them a break yeah?"

Ignoring the Blonde, the Doctor waited for her to leave the room, before he sat back down on the bed. They just should not exist. He couldn't even wrap his head around it. It wasn't like he wanted them all to die, but it was the only way to stop-

-no, best not think about that.

Pulling on his bathrobe tie, the Doctor stood back up and made his way out of the room. If the answers wouldn't come to him, then he would go to the answers, and he just happened to have three children just bursting with them.


	4. Chapter 4

Dawn broke over the sleepy London that the Doctor had landed them in, and with it, so too did the Time Lord. Yawning in a rather loud fashion, the man rose his arms up in a stretch and went to roll over, but was stopped. Frowning, brown orbs slowly opened and looked down, hoping that the lump was just his sheets mashed up like usual.

"AHHH!"

Shuffling backwards across the mattress and falling right off the other side, the Doctor missed Rose racing into his room, or the two eldest children following.

"Doctor what-"

"What is that thing doing in my bed?"

Peeking over the side in a manner that was normally considered cute, Mary tilted her head. "Why are you on the floor? It doesn't look very comfy."

Glaring up at the green eyed girl, the Doctor waited until Anna had retrieved her sister, before standing.

"She just had a nightmare, that's all," Anna explained, patting the other's hair as she did so. "Dad and Papa would let her sleep in with them when she has one, and being away from them, it isn't exactly surprising that she had one."

"Yes, well," the Doctor sputtered, looking quite ruffled. "Just make sure that it doesn't happen again, right?"

Rolling her eyes at the man, Anna strode out of the room holding her little sister close to her chest.

"I guess Papa was right," James hissed just loud enough for them to here.

Folding her arms across her chest, Rose lent against the door. "Was that really necessary?"

"What?" the Doctor huffed, pulling his fluffy red bathrobe around his shoulders. "Yes. Of course it was necessary. That-that, Thing! Snuck into my bed!"

"Because She was scared and needed reassurance," Rose pleaded, confused as to how the Doctor could not sympathise. "She was pulled away from her parents and home, and if it wasn't for the fact that her brother and sister was here with her, then she would be all alone."

Sliding on his slippers, the Doctor puffed loudly. "They shouldn't even be alive!"

"That is no reason to be so harsh!" Breathing deeply, Rose flicked some hair out of her face. "They are scared stiffless and you are not helping. Just- give them a break yeah?"

Ignoring the Blonde, the Doctor waited for her to leave the room, before he sat back down on the bed. They just should not exist. He couldn't even wrap his head around it. It wasn't like he wanted them all to die, but it was the only way to stop-

-no, best not think about that.

Pulling on his bathrobe tie, the Doctor stood back up and made his way out of the room. If the answers wouldn't come to him, then he would go to the answers, and he just happened to have three children just bursting with them.

Muttering to herself as she flipped the bacon over in the pan, Rose was oblivious to the whispered conversation that was happening behind her.

"What bad can come from telling them?" James whispered, glaring at his sister for being so impossible to work with. "It's not like they're not going to figure it out. He is our P-"

"No!" Anna hissed, glancing quickly over at Brit she would one day call Aunt. "You know what might happen if we tell them. He needs to meet Dad, and he won't do that if he already knows."

"But what if-"

"Here you go."

Placing four plates filled with bacon, eggs and toast down on the table, Rose took her seat and smiled. "Well, go on then. I haven't poisoned it."

But the fact that Rose Tyler was not a good cook ran through each mind as they slowly picked up the cutlery. Swallowing down her first bite, Anna nodded slowly, trying to hold back a cough. "Yeah, um it's nice, thank you."

Grinning at the comment, Rose picked up her own fork and began to eat. It wasn't until they were almost done, when the Doctor in all his pyjama wrapped goodness, sauntered in.

"Good morning."

Ruffling James' hair and stealing Mary's last slice of toast, the man ignored the glares he received, and lent against the sink. "I have decided, that since we're stuck with you lot till your parents 'magically' show up, we are going to go on an excursion."

Not trusting the man for one minute, Rose narrowed her eyes. "Where to?"

"Outside of course."

"And where exactly are we, 'outside'?"

Knowing that the Blonde would pick up on it too quickly, the Doctor forced his grin a little wider. "London."

Not taking the bait for one minute, Rose stood and faced the man that was irritating her more than she ever thought could be possible. "When?"

Ignoring the last question, the Doctor turned away and started walking towards the door. "We leave in twenty minutes. Be ready."

Glaring at the back of the man, Rose waited until he was out of sight, before throwing her arms up in the air and growling. "God that man is infuriating."

"It's alright," James smirked. "You should wait until he has k- Ow! What was that for?"

Closing her eyes at the idiocy that was her brother, Anna turned to Rose and smiled in what she hoped was a comforting manner. "Don't worry about him, he'll come around."

Looking down at the girl, Rose snorted. "Yeah, when pigs fly."

"So where exactly are we Doctor?"

It was nearing night by the time the party made their way onto the streets of London. It looked nothing like the city Rose grew up in, and if she had to guess, she would say that they had gone backwards, not forwards in time like they usually did.

"Well to tell you the truth," the Doctor puffed as he kept a steady step. "I'm not quite sure."

Halting all movement, Rose grabbed onto the man's leather jacket and growled. "What do you mean, 'you don't know'?"

"Well, you see," the Doctor stuttered, not at all liking the way that his friend was reminding him greatly of Jackie Tyler and her temper. "The navigation cut out along with many other systems when the children arrived, and I had to land the Tardis so that she could re-energise, and also it-"

"Yes alright," Rose yelled, not in the mood to listen to the Time Lord get into another one of his rants. "So what do we do now?"

"Well for one-"

Twirling around to face the small group, the Doctor grinned in a somewhat hysterical fashion. "We are going to take these children to a nice safe place, and have a bloody good time."

Knowing that the Doctor was defiantly up to something, Rose oped her mouth to growl at him some more, but was stopped when Mary pointed up. "Isn't that a little boy?"

Glancing up to the spot she was pointing at, the Doctor and Rose nodded in agreement.

"But what's he doing up there?"

"No idea."

Deciding that it would probably be best for one of them to go up and get him, they played paper, scissors, rock, deciding that the winner would take the children to find out what year they were in, and the loser would go retrieve the boy. Grinning like a loon as he watched the Blonde make her way up the fire escape, the Doctor turned away and ushered the children towards the nearest pub.

"Now," he mentally giggled, happy that his luck had pulled things around to his way. "I'm just going in there to find out when we are, then you and I are going to have a little chat, ok?"

Nodding slowly, Anne watched as the man that would one day become her father entered the dingy pub.

"Isn't this when-"

"Yep."

Wrapping his arms around his two sisters, James steered them over to the closest bomb shelter, and opened the door.

"Do you think we should tell them where we are?" Mary asked, holding onto her teddy like it was a life line. "They may be unhappy we left?"

"No." Locking the door behind them, James shivered slightly as the bomb sirens started up. "Papa will be busy saving lives, and Uncle Jack will be charming the pants off Auntie Rose."

Wrapping her arms around her younger siblings and pulling them close, Anna sighed deeply. "Besides that, we'll wait out this wave, and then when it's over, we'll head back to the Tardis and wait for them there. Everything will be fine"

Snuggling even further into her sister's embrace, Mary whimpered as another bomb landed, shaking the shelter down to its very foundations. "I hope you're right, Anna."


End file.
